Articles posted April 18, 2001

Headlines and features from the Thoroughbred industry

Stormy Kris, a daughter of Whitney Tower, turned in the fastest eighth-mile work Wednesday during the first under tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's April auction of 2-year-olds in training. Consigned by Rising Hill Farm, agent, Stormy Kris covered the distance in 10 :2/5 seconds. The filly was produced from the 11-year-old Kris S mare Surely Kris.

Total pari-mutuel handle in the United States crept up 0.7% to $18.16 billion in 1999, according to the latest statistical information released by the Association of Racing Commissioners International. Handle on horse races was up 1.7% from 1998, while Greyhound and jai alai handle fell 4.8% and 11.6%, respectively.

Terry Meyocks and Bryan G. Krantz have been appointed by the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America (TRA) to serve on the management committee of Equibase Company, it was announced today by Equibase chairman Alan Marzelli.

Kentucky Derby favorite Point Given arrived in Louisville late Wednesday morning and was bedded down in his stall in Bob Baffert's Churchill Downs barn by 12:30 p.m., according to Baffert assistant Jim Barnes, who traveled with the son of Thunder Gulch from California.

Now that this past weekend's preps have had time to sink in, is the Derby picture more or less clear than it was last week? Although only five strong horses emerged – Congaree, Monarchos, Millennium Wind, Balto Star, and Jamaican Rum – the opinion here is that the Derby picture still is very confusing, based on the number of horses trying to buck history.

Hawthorne Race Course, which carried the Thoroughbred sport in the Chicago-area during a two-year dark period at Arlington Park in the late 1990s, will open May 1 for the first of two meets and feature reduced takeout rates on wagers. The meet will mark the return of grass to the Chicago racing calendar.

Richard Bomze, president of the New York THA, said Wednesday the organization that represents horsemen at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga met the week of April 9 and decided to support the plan pushed by NYRA chairman Barry Schwartz.

The board of directors of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders announced their Kentucky-bred champions and other award winners Wednesday morning. The winning connections will be honored at their annual luncheon April 25 at Keeneland.

Primal Force, the only mare to produce two Breeders' Cup winners, has been named Kentucky Broodmare of the Year for 2000 by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders. Owned by Frank Stronach, Primal Force produced homebred Breeders' Cup winners Awesome Again and Macho Uno. The latter was named best 2-year-old male of 2000 by the organization.

Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas will offer a unique challenge to on-track handicappers for the May 5 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) -- select the correct order of finish of all the runners and win $1 million.

The first jewel of Japan's Triple Crown went to the fans' No. 1 choice, as Agnes Tachyon took the Satsukisho (Jpn-I) by 1 1/2 lengths April 15 at Nakayama Race Course. Agnes Tachyon (Sunday Silence--Agnes Flower, by Royal Ski) clocked 2:00.30 over the 2,000 meters of very firm turf, netting ¥97 million ($781,313 U.S.) for owner Takao Watanabe. Dantsu Flame (Brian's Time--Inter Pyrenee, by Sanquirico) crossed the line in second place, easily holding off Jungle Pocket (Tony Bin--Dance Charmer, by Nureyev).